Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-08
CHAPTER x. IN SIaHTl

. CHAPTER X.
 IN SIGHT
 Before they reached Calhoun, however, Andrews was released from his perilous position After he had chatted with the conductor and engineer of the down freight for some time and found them in disposed to go on their way he said in the most matter of fact and positive manner: 'I must press on without more delay. Pull your engine ahead and let me out" When the order was given in this direct form they were obliged to obey or give good reason for refusing; and it may be considered certain that if they had de- layed, though Andrews did not threaten violence, jet our engineers would at once have taken control and executed the order, probably not without bloodshed.
 At last we are on the main track, with no train between us and Chattanoogai and if the renorts from Huntsville are true there is no obstruction west of that town, as all travel is cut off by Mitchell. There is reason for exultatiOn on our part. An open road ahead and scores of miles of obstructed and broken track behind us! For the whole morning we have been running with train right in front of us, or waiting for a belated one. We had passed five trains, all but one either ex- tras or behind time-a wonderful achieve ment! now the way is clear to our own lines; and the "Y'' at Chattanooga is no more difficult of passage than any of the many side tracks we have already success fully encountered. No small amount of the exulta1ion we felt on first taking the train was again ours, as we rushed rap- idly on for a mile or more, and then stopped to cut the wire, and to take up rail las we hoped) for the last time. The Oostenaula bridge was just ahead, and when that was burned, we would simply run from bridge to bridge, firing them as we passed; and no more of this hard drudgery of track rais- ing and still more terrible work of sitting silent and housed in dark car waiting for trains to arrive! We had heard the whistle of following train dozen miles back, but it probably was one from Kingston, and if not wrecked by the broken rail, would return there for tools. We knew nothing of Fuller's and Mur- phys pursuit, and if we had been told the full story, as already narrated, we would have thought it too wild and improbable even for good fiction.
 But it was expedient to take up this one rail more before we finally changed our mode of operations A piece of torn track had been put before or after every
 
 put a broken road behind this passenger train also, that it might not turn back after us on any sudden suspicious freak and come upon us while working at the Resaca (Oostenaula) bridge. The crisis of our fate approached, and we believed it would be triumphantly passed. Nothing had as yet been lost but time, and if we were fairly prosperous for fifteen minutes more, all would be regained; and the full fllment of all our hopes, as far as human prospects could reach, be in our own hands.
 No wonder that we worked gladly and cheerfully. Scott climbed the pole with even more than usual agility. Some worked at the taking in of all kinds of combustibles, for we wished to be well provided for the bridge. Every stick and piece of wood we could get hold of was soaking wet, but by breaking and whiting they could be made to add to flame, and from the engine, which was kept full of wood for the purpose, we could give a good start to fire. We had only one iron bar to drive out our spikes; Q bent ''crow's foot'' would have been worth more than its weight in gold; but we hammered away with what we had, and spike after spike was drawn. Here saw Andrews show real impatience for the frst-I am not sure but may say the only-time. He had altered his dress, throwing off the cape and high hat that he wore while at stations, and had a small cap on, which greatly changed his appearance. The nearing of the time when his plans would all eliminate in success seemed to thrill and inspire him. He snatched the iron bar out of the hands of the man who was yielding it, and though we had strong and practiced workmen in our party-I had not with such precision and force. Some say that he uttered an oath on this occa- sion, but though standing by I did not hear him, the only words did hear be- ing directions about the work, given in his mild tones, but with quite an em- phatic ring of triumph in them. He wanted that rail up in the fewest number ] of seconds and then-the bridge! There | were several using lever of green wood, ] and trying to tear up the end of rail 1 from which the spikes had not yet been l drawn; but the lever bent too much, and
 fence rail was added and we lifted again. l At that instant, loud and clear from the l south, came the whistle of the engine in I pursuit.! It was near by and running at 1 lightning speed. The roll of 8 thousand
 thunders could not have startled us more. What could we do? At the end where
 we had been prying the rail it was bent,
 but it was still too firmly fixed for us to hope to lift it or break it like the last. I But we did the best in our power; we bent the loose end up still further and put l the fence rail carefully under 1t, with the 1 hope that it would compel the pursuers
 either to stop and adjust it or throw them
 from the track, and then piled into the car and engine with a celerity born o1
 long practice, and with one of its old
 bounds that jerked us from our feet-fol